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12.30.2014

Recently, while scrolling through Instagram, I spotted one of my favorite bloggers, Cara of Cara's Cliche' in the most beautiful sweater. I immediately went over to her blog to see where she purchased the beauty and then headed over to our local shopping/entertainment center to make one of the sweaters my own. It's not everyday that I spot something so perfect for me that I'm immediately pushed to make the purchase. This time was an exception! If you haven't visited Cara's blog, please do so. She has a unique style sense that reminds me of a modern day Coco Chanel. She has the ability to make everything she wears look modern and fresh.

So for today, I'm inspired by Cara and I'm wearing the sweater with my own touches of Glenda. To be inspired is one thing, but to copy...nope, that's not my style. If you have been following So What to Twenty for some time, you know that I absolutely love showing my décolletage. It is a part of my body that gives me great confidence when revealed. To see an off-the-shoulder, cable knit sweater is absolutely scrumptious...in my opinion. A perfect sweater for California, where it can get chilly in the day, but it never really gets too cold. In addition, the sweater has incredible sleeve details - somewhat of a 3/4 inch Bishop sleeve. Enjoy the shots!

I rather like this post idea. Perhaps this will become a series. I love seeing what other bloggers wear and I'm greatly influenced by so many...including what the designers send down the runway. Hmmm, yes, I think I'll begin a new post series called, "Inspired by ( fill in the blank )." It could be you{wink}

If you haven't viewed The Best of 2014 Fashion & Inspirational Lookbook, click HERE to do so. Enjoy!

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12.29.2014

Hot off the press and just in time to bring in 2015 - The Best of 2014 Fashion & Inspirational Lookbook, which includes nuggets of wisdom to carry you into the years to come. Make yourself a cup of tea, sit down and flip through the pages. At the end, take some time to think about 2014, and then write down what you discovered new about yourself. Enjoy!

12.28.2014

I didn't want you to think I dropped off the face of the earth. I have been enjoying the holiday season tremendously with my family, and, at the same time, I've been working on two projects...

First: I'm working on another publication that I'm hoping to get out to you, my readers, as soon as possible. The new publication is titled, The Best of 2014 Fashion & Inspirational Lookbook. It's centered around my top looks for 2014, the magazine will feature both fashion and inspirational nuggets that you can carry into the coming year. I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

Second: I've been toying with the idea of having a signature scent, and have been given a few scents a test drive (I thought the new year would be a perfect time to begin having a signature scent). I have heard high praise for the Jo Malone fragrances, so I thought I'd give them a try. I logged onto eBay to purchase a trio of samples that peeked my interest. The three that I ordered are Blackberry & Bay, Orange Blossom and Pomegranate Noir. I tend to lean toward scents that have scents from nature as the top note...vanilla, fruits, soft florals or herbs etc. However, to be perfectly honest, the Pomegranate Noir is a bit too strong for me. Though the Pomegranate is a fruit base, it is extremely pungent. So far, I'm very fond of the Blackberry & Bay. The first spritz is quite tart, but then it settles into a lovely soft and sweet scent...but not too sweet. Almost like the scent of a fresh baked blackberry pie. The website description for Blackberry & Bay - Childhood memories of blackberry picking...A burst of deep, tart
blackberry juice, blending with the freshness of just-gathered bay and
brambly woods. Vibrant and verdant.

Thus far, the scent has fit in well with my lifestyle. I have worn it consistently since before Christmas to several different events and occasions - some casual and some dressy. I felt like the fragrance matched the mood perfectly. But on the flip side, I also like the Orange Blossom as well, however, I do believe this scent is more reminiscent of summer and spring.

Just recently I have grown to appreciate scents. Before, my idea of wearing fragrance was to slather on a lush, organically scented body butter...Preferably by Origins. Lately I've moved quietly into making a few perfume purchases and have enjoyed wearing them on occasion. My two go to scents have been Chanel No.5 and a perfume that I purchased from Anthropologie by Barr-Co. The Original Scent which is scented with milk, oatmeal, vanilla and vetiver (sounds odd, but the scent is delicious). And though I adore these two fragrances, they are a bit too powerful for me to wear everyday.

So that's why I've been a little abscent absent from the blog...just enjoying the season and trying to remain as offline as possible, and playing around with fragrances. Do you have any suggestions of soft fragrances I should try? This is really good fun{wink}

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12.22.2014

Decorating our family Christmas tree is the one part of Christmas that makes me laugh and cry simultaneously. You see, our tree is decorated with ornaments (some handmade and some from the stores) that chronicle my families life together. The handmade ornaments were created by my sons hands when they were toddlers and home with me, while some were made when they were in elementary school. As time marched on, and their little fingers grew and were no longer crafting, my family began the tradition of selecting ornaments that best represented our son's life for that year. We have ornaments that represent musical instruments, football, airplanes, artist palettes...you name it. It is quite an adventure for us to journey out after Thanksgiving to find our annual ornaments. But what a joy it is when we find the perfect ones!

This Christmas season, my oldest son, who will be leaving for college come fall 2015 said, "Mom, this Christmas, I want us to do all the things we did as kids because this is my last year as being a kid." I smiled and then I got teary eyed. So yes, this Christmas has been filled with us reliving the activities we enjoyed when our boys were much younger, and the experience has truly been a blast. As we sit fire-side playing family board games and watching Polar Express for the umpteenth time, my spirit is filled with so much joy because I know that my family is creating Christmas memories that our children will carry with them for a lifetime {wink}

Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday to you!

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12.17.2014

Monday morning, after taking photos for Valuable (which also happened to be my 200th post) and then working out, my body decided to remind me that it's no longer the age it once was. After my invigorating workout, I reached across the table to grab some honey for my morning cup of tea and then...OUCH - I pulled a muscle in my back. The pain was so bad that it gave me an aching headache as well. What I thought was going to be an enjoyable day with my husband, shopping for Christmas and having lunch, turned out to be an excruciating day in bed with a heating pad on my back. I spent the next two days in bed, barely able to sleep or move about with my daily activities.

What's a woman to do when she finds herself in a painful situation? She sends her hubby to the organic grocery store to purchase Aura Cacia's Aromatherapy Shower Tablets. If I haven't shared with you, the organic grocery stores are my favorite places to peruse. I absolutely LOVE the beauty department! Just the scent of the products alone evokes thoughts of days at my favorite spa. The aromas are fresh and herbal, and not at all like the man-made scents that I often dodge in the perfume section in department stores...scents that often give me a migraine.

Since the pulled muscle gave me an awful headache, the peppermint tablets were exactly what the doctor ordered. The back of the box reads: 'Now you can enjoy the luxurious aromatic escape of a bath with the convenience of a shower. These unique effervescent tables will fill the air around you with the delightful aroma of peppermint essential oil - proven to revive your mind, body and spirit.'

Yes, the box description is the absolute truth. The experience made me feel as if my
pores were being penetrated with the glorious tingly scent of peppermint.
Once I exited the shower, my head felt much better. I wrapped myself in my cozy jammies, made myself a cup of tea and crawled back into bed. Sometimes I wonder if when we have to stay in bed for a few days, is it often for our own benefit to nurture thyself completely. I believe this is true, and I took the opportunity to do so. My peppermint shower made me feel revived{wink}

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12.15.2014

Lately, I've been speaking to my sons a great deal about knowing their value, or what some would refer to as knowing your worth. A few days before we headed up the coast on our annual trek to Solvang, California, I sat down with them and told them how I grew up not knowing my worth, and that it wasn't until recently, that I discovered what makes Glenda valuable. I told them the pitfalls of not knowing what made me special or unique, and that if you don't get in touch with these very important attributes, others will place a value on you. Unfortunately, the value that others force upon you may be far less than your true worth and could be detrimental to your well-being. For myself, not knowing what made me unique, caused me to succumb to a hurtful past, and to just settle without really striving to reach my goals. I never felt like I was worth anything special.

My instructions to my sons were simple. I asked them to think about themselves...to dig deep and write down what makes them special, unique. "What is your value?" Then I told them that while we're on our drive to Solvang, I would ask them again, and this time, I want them to tell me what they have written down and why. As instructed, as we took our family drive, I asked my sons the question they had been waiting for. I was so proud to hear them read their list of attributes along with the reasons why they selected them. When we returned from our trip. I gathered their lists and created a wall-hanging that now proudly hangs in their individual bedrooms so that they can be reminded of what makes them valuable.

For today, as I reflect back on this special assignment, I think back on my own journey of discovering my own self worth. Many of you took that journey with me, and it was your kindhearted comments that cleared the way for me to see who Glenda truly is. She is so much more than a woman who adores fashion. She is a woman who looks to her future with anticipation; a woman who wants to blaze a trail for others to feel their very best about themselves; a woman who can look introspectively at herself and smile; she is a woman who knows that her life is full of amazing wonders. Glenda is a woman who is turning her wounds into wisdom!

Today's look represents my attributes and makes me feel wonderful. A crisp white shirt to show I mean business; a flirty and fun skirt that makes me feel free; my boots that carry me through the brush while I blaze trails; and gold accessories that remind me just how valuable this self knowledge truly is to have.

Now, with my head held high, I can conquer this world with all the confidence needed. Knowing your value is worth the weight in gold. So I ask you my dear friends, "Do you know what makes you special and unique?" "What makes you valuable?"{wink}

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12.11.2014

It has been one of those crazy kind of weeks where you barely have time to breathe. My husband's occupation always keeps him on overdrive during the holiday season, so, I've been left to fend for myself in the parent department. My older son, who is a well-decorated saxophonist has many school activities which cause us to spend our evenings on his campus...and then there is my youngest son who is also engaged in school functions. Because of my hectic schedule, after Monday's blog post on Conscientious Blogging, I haven't had much time to focus on So What to Twenty. So today, I'm just stopping by to show you an outfit that I put together to celebrate the newest addition to my shoe wardrobe.

I had been searching for months for a great pair of silver shoes. I finally found a pair on eBay...it was love at first sight. If you haven't noticed, silver is my all-time favorite metal. In my opinion, it evokes thoughts of a carefree lifestyle, easy, breezy, lightweight, airy, cool...you get the picture. Yes, there are many silver shoe options available to us, but I was searching for a heel that wasn't too high, and believe it or not, I didn't want a sandal. One night while laying in bed, I scrolled through eBay and found this perfect pair by White House/Black Market for...drum roll please...$15! Can you believe that? The original price was $125. What an incredible deal! Midway through my week I received a knock at my door from a very pleasant UPS driver who handed the package to me. What a wonderful surprise in the midst of all the chaos.

The day my silver shoes arrived, I was headed out the door to pickup my sons from their schools. I had on a pair of sneakers, but when the carrier handed me the package, I ripped off the wrapping, opened the box, cracked a huge grin, and immediately pulled off the sneakers and replaced them with my new silver slippers. I felt like Cinderella when her fairy godmother arrived to dress her for the ball, accept my fairy godmother was the UPS driver (smile). Suddenly, in the middle of all the busyness of life, by dawning my slippers, I felt like a new woman. It's amazing what a new pair of shoes can do for ones spirit{wink}

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12.08.2014

Controlled by or done according to one's inner sense of what is right.

Lately I've been mulling over the idea of bloggers being more conscientious. Conscientious about what, you ask. My friend, Elle, from My Daily Costume recently touched on subjects that weighed on her heart in a post called, The Case for Buying Quality Clothing and a Little Bit of Fir. Many of you probably already know of Elle. She is a petite, fashion dynamo from New York who greatly inspires me because of her innate ability to mix & match vintage and modern pieces to create an eclectic ensemble that is reminiscent of Carrie Bradshaw (ala Sex and the City) and quintessential Elle. After reading her latest post, I felt further compelled to delve into a subject that's been on my heart...Over-spending.

Like most writers, I spend a great deal of time reading articles, books, blogs and watching videos from others. I appreciate persons who bring an interesting spin on the idea of fashion and style. The idea of simply stuffing my closet with the latest find just isn't all that appealing to me. Yes, I adore fashion, but like I have written in previous posts, I'm more about style, and the two subjects, though they may seem similar, are two entirely different subjects. When a person knows who they are - they know their style, and thus, will not find it necessary to run out and buy the latest big thing. Cornel West best sums-up the meaning of style in an interview he did with Prepidemic Magazine. West states, "Style has to do with the ways in which you're able to orient your critical intelligence, your spirituality, and your sense of character."

So I wonder and I ponder the idea of taunting the idea of purchase, purchase, purchase, spend, spend, spend, buy, buy, buy. Is this truly what fashion is all about? Is there more to the subject? As I sat and watched a YouTube video from a very popular blogger with legions of followers, I listened while she gave her latest video haul which showed all her latest purchases. When the video concluded, I wondered how many women would rush out to buy these items just because this particular blogger did. How many women, who really don't have the same fashion style as this blogger, or worst yet, the money to purchase these items will fork out the dough and continue to stuff their already too tight closets with more? I felt perplexed and saddened by this example. So I ask you, my dear readers, Do you think bloggers should be more responsible or conscientious when in comes to their content? Should we take on the responsibility of consumer awareness and accountability? Is it necessary for bloggers to jump on the over-indulgence bandwagon and buy the latest in order to stay relevant?

For today's look I've decided to wear clothing that I've had in my closet for years. Nothing is new and if you've been following me for some time, then you have seen this pieces mixed and matched with many other pieces in my wardrobe. To be perfectly honest, I don't shop mainstream that much. I enjoy the idea of recycling finer goods. I adore vintage and consignment shopping the most. And like Elle, I prefer to invest my money on quality pieces that will stand the test of time, rather than buying garments that are cheaply made and wear out after a few wears and washings.

Today's Look: Sweater purchased over 10 years ago, Jeans purchased about 7 years ago, Shoes purchased about 6 years ago, Disney watch purchased over 16 years ago. In this look you'll notice that I'm wearing my cuffs up and down. I did this because midway through the photo shoot I decided that I liked the look down.

So I ask again...

Do you think bloggers
should be more responsible or conscientious when in comes to their
content? Should we take on the responsibility of consumer awareness and
accountability? Is it necessary for bloggers to jump on the over-indulgence bandwagon and buy the latest in order to stay relevant?

Let me sum this post up by saying, If style is how we project who we are, then how we dress, or fashion, is simply a small piece of that projection. Though what we're wearing is a part of first impressions, once we get past the outer layer, their must be substance. Let's talk about this. I can't wait to read your feedback{wink}

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12.03.2014

Well friends, it has happened...California has finally, after an entire year, had a change in weather. We have gone from our average of 80 degrees to cloudy, rainy weather that made me make a made dash to the store to buy a warm scarf and cap. And though the temperatures hover in the low 60s by day and the very chilly 40s by night, for Californians, this type of weather is pretty darn cold.

Since life goes on when the weather report calls for rain, for today, I have chosen an outfit that rolls with the punches. A soft sweater that's just the right weight, faux leather moto pants, ankle boots and cozy accessories - an ensemble that keeps me warm but also gives me that let's chill vibe.

Thank you to Diane Gilman for sending me this incredibly soft sweater. I'm wearing a regular medium and it is quite big for me (notice the area around my wrist). I typically wear petite sizes. Depending on how roomy you want the sweater to fit, you may want to consider ordering a size down if you are petite.

I am a true California girl who absolutely loves the warm sunshine, however, this cool, rainy weather has been a nice change of pace. I'm enjoying sitting at my desk while sipping vanilla tea with the sound of rain encompassing me. The sounds of raindrops are calling my name, and they are saying - Let's Chill{wink}

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